April 2009
In this issue...

• MacNair Travel Announces New Airport Parking Partnership at BWI Airport
• Hotel Prices Fall 12 Percent Worldwide
• Did You Know...? MacNair Travel Offers Amex Preferred Extras Hotel and Car Programs
• Amtrak Offers Lower Acela Fares
• Secure Flight is Coming
• More Security Coming Before Flights
• New Fees Helped Lead to Fewer Lost and Mishandled Bags
• Delta Phases Out Northwest Signs and Uniforms
• Airlines Offering Double and Triple Miles
• The Health Benefits of Travel
• How Club Med Set Me Back on the Road to Recovery
  by Michael MacNair, President and CEO
  

MACNAIR TRAVEL ANNOUNCES NEW AIRPORT PARKING PARTNERSHIP AT BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

MacNair Travel Management has negotiated a special parking rate with Airport Fast Park, Baltimore's best airport parking facility, for only $6.40 per day (excluding tax). Just use your Frequent Parker Card when entering and exiting. This compares to a normal rate of $8.40 per day. To ensure you receive your special rate of $6.40 per day (excluding tax), all MacNair Travel Management travelers must enroll in the Airport Fast Park Frequent Parker Program using their company's name and promotional code: 0327207. Click here to get started.

• No Cost, No Obligation
• Enrollment Takes Seconds
• Earn Points for Free Parking
• Special Rate of $6.40/day (excluding tax)
  

HOTEL PRICES FALL 12 PERCENT WORLDWIDE

Hotel prices are falling, according to the Hotel Price Index (HPI). Rates for hotels in December 2008 were more than one tenth lower than they had been a year earlier and just one percent above their level in January 2004. North American rates fell the most, down 12 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008. Prices for hotel rooms in Europe fell 10 percent. In the Caribbean and Latin America they fell by seven percent. Asian hotel prices fell just two percent, the first time they have fallen since the HPI began in 2004. Meanwhile, STR Global reported that U.S. hotel business continued to decline, with the industry's occupancy rate down 4.7 percent, ending the third week of March at 58.5 percent, and average daily room rates dropping eight percent. Of the top 25 markets in the U.S., only one, Washington, DC, saw gains in occupancies and rates and those were modest.
(Source: HPI, STR Global press releases).

DID YOU KNOW...? MACNAIR TRAVEL OFFERS AMERICAN EXPRESS PREFERRED EXTRAS HOTEL AND CAR PROGRAMS

The American Express 2009 Preferred Extras Hotel Program (PEHP) has grown by leaps and bounds. PEHP now offers more choices and coverage than ever before, with more properties offering discounts, non-standard free amenities at over 30,000 properties worldwide, a 23% growth over the 2008 program. MacNair Travel can help you take advantage of these benefits as well as the following:

• More than 8,800 properties offer discounts of up to 15% off the Best Available Rate
• More than 180 countries/7,087 cities
• Over 110 Hotel Chains and Brands
• Over 750 properties offer either free breakfast or free internet access
• Over 4,300 properties offer bonus loyalty points to travelers to help drive compliance and boost traveler satisfaction

American Express has also partnered with the car rental industry's top companies to create a preferred car rental program. Whether you prefer Hertz, Avis, National, Alamo, Budget, or Enterprise you can be sure all of their programs offer exceptional service and value. Each car rental partner offers special competitive rate programs available through MacNair Travel Management. These programs provide you and your clients with access to discounted rates with unlimited miles, free upgrades when available and membership in Preferred Rental programs.

AMTRAK OFFERS LOWER ACELA FARES

Amtrak is offering new low fares on Acela Express trains, saving passengers up to 25 percent on previous lowest fares. Acela Business class tickets start at $99 between Washington, DC (WAS) and New York (NYP) and $79 between New York and Boston (BOS). A 14-day advance purchase policy applies and availability is limited. Fares are available through June 26. The tickets are one-way and nonrefundable, but can be exchanged.
(Source: Amtrak press release).

SECURE FLIGHT IS COMING

Many of you may have been hearing about the new personal information requirements that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has mandated for all air travel. There has been much debate and concern across the industry, but the final rulings and requirements are close to completion. We will be sending out a Special Edition InFlight within the next two weeks to give you guidance and answer your questions.

MORE SECURITY COMING BEFORE FLIGHTS

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plans to begin randomly searching some passengers as they board their planes. The security agency has already pulled people out of line for searches at many airports. These searches have taken place after the passengers have already passed through the original security checkpoints. Passengers can be selected at random or for suspicious behavior, according to a recent TSA memo. The program is designed to target flights that are at greater risk and may be based on fears that airport workers, who are not routinely screened, could sneak weapons into the secure area of an airport and give them to passengers. Security screening at gates was common after 9/11, but was phased out in 2003 as the TSA tried to streamline travel and focus screening at normal security checkpoints. (Source: USA Today)

NEW FEES HELPED LEAD AIRLINES TO LOSE AND MISHANDLE FEWER BAGS

A recent report shows that airline fees for checked baggage are causing many flyers to travel with fewer bags, leading to fewer cases of lost and mishandled luggage. Globally, the number of checked bags that were late, damaged, or broken into fell by more than a fifth last year to 32.8 million bags, from 42.4 million in 2007, according to the annual SITA Baggage Report. The number of bags lost or stolen dropped to 736,000 from 1.3 million. This is the first significant drop since SITA, an aviation consulting firm, began publishing the report five years ago. Fewer checked bags and fewer passengers have relieved pressure on baggage-handling systems. SITA also reported that its research had found the percentage of bags mishandled in transit as a percentage of all mishandled bags has fallen by 12 percent in the last three years.
(Source: Travel Weekly)

DELTA PHASES OUT NORTHWEST SIGNS AND UNIFORMS

Delta Air Lines' absorption of Northwest Airlines has moved to the frontline. Nearly 40,000 flight attendants, pilots, airport lounge representatives, ticket counter and gate agents now are wearing Delta uniforms. New Delta signs are now up at more than 400 ticket counters, gates and baggage claim areas at three hub airports in Detroit, Memphis and Minneapolis-St. Paul. Delta has already rebranded 119 other airports worldwide. By the end of next year, all Northwest planes will be painted Delta colors. The two carriers have already synchronized flight schedules and route maps.
(Source: Delta press release)

AIRLINES OFFERING DOUBLE AND TRIPLE MILES

American Airlines, United, Continental and Delta are offering their frequent flyer members the chance to earn double or triple elite-qualifying miles on newly booked flights for a limited time. American AAdvantage, United Mileage Plus, and Continental OnePass members must register before they travel. After registering, contact MacNair Travel at 703-650-5300 and our Travel Consultants will help you book your flight. For more information see the following links:

• American AAdvantage (use code DBEQM)
• United's Mileage Plus
• Continental OnePass
• US Airways

(Source: American, Delta, United, Continental, US Airways press release).

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF TRAVEL

Did you know that taking a vacation can improve your health and increase your productivity at work? Just knowing that you have a vacation in the future is good for you! The Travel Industry Association of America recently compiled some information from many sources entitled The Personal Benefits of Travel and Taking a Vacation. We thought we would share a few of these observations:

• Leisure travel has been found to contribute to overall well-being by helping maintain both physical and mental health. L.L. Smith and E.A. Smith, Canadian Journal of Public Health 92(3), 214-218
• Even the anticipation of vacation travel generates an increase in positive feelings about one's life as a whole, family, economic situation and health. D. Gilbert & J. Abdullah, Journal of Vacation Marketing, 8(4), 352-371
• Travelers experience a 25% increase in performance on vigilance tests after returning from vacation and travelers 45 or older show a 50% increase in performance. Y. Partnership, National Travel Leisure Monitor
• An annual vacation can cut a person's risk of heart attack by 50%. H.E. Allerton (2003) Not Funny Ha Ha Funny Peculiar

So don't delay! Let one of our experienced vacation specialists plan your next vacation and start enjoying the health benefits now!

HOW CLUB MED SET ME BACK ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY
BY MICHAEL MACNAIR, PRESIDENT AND CEO

Just like many of you, I was hunkered down in the first quarter tightening our personal and professional belts during these tough economic times. During this time, I forgot something that gives my life purpose - travel with my family. I had made a list at home and at work of what I need to have and what is nice to have and quite frankly I forgot to put travel on either list. Shame on me! It was not until our representative from Club Med visited and got us to book spring break with our boys (our daughter is in college) and revisit Club Med for the first time in 16 years, that I re-realized how great an investment travel is to my well-being. The return on this investment included seeing the world through the eyes of my 13 and 16 year old sons. I watched them gain confidence on the trapeze and on a wake board and saw their smiles and laughter return. Their global and social skills improved at this international resort. My wife and I spent time relaxing, while the kids spent from early morning to late in the day with their new friends and not in front of any electronics. The only drawback was their threats that they would not get back on the plane with us. Forgive me for forgetting the magic that is Club Med and the awesome value of a great family vacation.

Now don't think we were alone. I wish CNN had been there to see the line out the door for check-in for our return flight or how we could not get a late checkout because the resort was again filled to the brim. Yeah, prices are down a bit, which is positive, but don't believe for a second that these places are empty. They are just down from 100% occupancy. So thanks Club Med! Thanks for waking me up and reminding me again that travel delivers a powerful return on investment and is absolutely a need to have. Give MacNair Travel some dates and a budget and let us see what we can find for you! This year will never happen again!

Please feel free to send comments or suggestions to our editor, Tony Torres, at ttorres@macnairtravel.com.